St. Landry democrat., 1887-11-19

Crock Me to Sleep, Mother" AMI all the
nopular songs of the period were sung
in solo or chorus.
Brayest among the singers was young
officer whose hair at twenty-slX was
heavily streaked with gray. At times
brilliant, laughter-loving and recklessly
cav, he seemed the very star or the
gOodlie companie,' but again heaVV-eycd
and respondent, he represented among
them the deaths head at the least FROM
his brother officers we learned that he
plaved high, drank heavily, and in time
of battle threw himself into the thckest
of the fray.
NV gentle, compassionate mother,
scarce older herself than he, felt that
some deep and pitiless sorrow was
preying on his life and treated III MN
always with tender consideration. The
eldest little girl of the family, child of
five. also OWNED his grief and chung to
him with an intuitive sympathy.
One morning, while sitting at the
piano singing an air in minor STRAIN,
his voice suddenly broke and he dropped
his head upon the keys. "W Guild 1t
ease your heart to tell me of its pain :"
asked my mother, placing sympathetic
hand upon his bowed head For
moment he did not respond, then, look
ing up gratefully, told the story which
briefly here transcribe.
He had been reared upon farm IN
| Tennessee His father was man OF
stern integrity, but harsh and torblddlng
| in manner His mother was woman OF re-
fined nature, whose artistic tendencies had
been completely dwarfed in the cold
! atmosphere where she was forced to exist.
| The boy had inherited her temperament
| and found the common dTudgery OF the
| farm entirely repulSve, while hlstatheren en-
| deavOred to crush every aspiration Wllhlh
him, save that of occupying his place
when he should be gone. HIS mother
recognized his talent, and used every
means to foster and educate it, but when
her efforts were at last discovered by the
stern father, a terrible scene enSued. ana
that night, with his mothers knowledge
the boy ran away. lie came to Alabama,
and for long time subSeted as best he
! could Finally he succeeded in opening
a pOrtrait-painter' studio, and his hrst
picture, gratuitOus one Of child, won
| for him an immediate patronage.
Among others who came for portraits
was lovely young girl Of Spanish
type of beauty, the only daughter Of
! wealthy and aristocratiC parents. lie
/ =
| the unrestrained intercourse permitted
| through her daily sittlngs, he at last Won
| from her the precious assurance that she
| also loved him. Their troth was pllghted
and for time they were very happy.
| But when the father was consulted he
| flew into furious rage, and tod the
young man scOrntully that his views Tor
Eis daughter were far different from
those proposed, and through himself she
had long been promised to man OF
wealth and family, who hoped soon to
claim her for his bride In addition, he
forbade the young artist the house. For
time the two met clandestinely. but
they were watched, and further meetings
debarred An occasional stolen note
soon became the only means Of cOmmu-
nicatOn between them.
II pleaded with her fOrcibly in my last
note,' said Major Randall, ITO meet me
at a certain point in the park, from
whence we would 90 direct to minis
ter and be married; the only reply was
the return of the bracelet and ring,
which had served as our GlGes an2on
and cruel note from the father stating
that his daughter would be married that
evening, and that she Joined him in hop
ing that all further prosecutions from
me might cease.
The note was not handed me until
nightfall, and when | had read it | be-
came for the time a mailman. | raved,
| swore, vowed she should be mine if
tore her from The very arms Of her lover.
But it was too late, for | only reached
the residence in time to see her and the
man she had married enter the carriage
which was to bear them to the depot.
or -. 81
helpless and haggard on the pavement,
and | shall never forget the agonized
expression which came into her eyes as
she wildly called my name. With my
hand upon my revolver started in hot
pursuit, but l fell unconscious before
three squares were passed.
1.-TWO months later was slowly return
ing to life from a severe attack of brain
fever .Jacintha and her husband were
abroad. NV mother was with me, and
when five months later there came the
terrible news of my darlng's death, twas
she who broke the sad intelligence to me.
"They killed her. he cried tiercely;
they murdered her just SO surely as II q
dagger had been thrust to her heart, and
now | hope that remorse rends their
heartstrings as ceaselessly as wild regret
does at mine. Six months ago my pre-
cious mother also left me, and now am
quite alone. | crave of fate but one sole
boon, and that is to soon fall fighting for
my country
In a few days after relating to mother
and child this mournful history, Major
Randall, with a large body of troops,
was ordered hastily away. We babe
him a sad and fearful adieu, grieving, as
did the friends of St. Paul, that we
should never see his face again.
At night when the piano was opened
there lay within it linked bracelet of
beautiful workmanship, and a golden
band, thickly studded with rubies; the one
was marked for the mother; the other for
the child, and they are tenderly priced
to-day as souvenirs, both of the poor
crushed heart, which found some solace
in our friendship and love, and also of
the fair stranger girl, who had worn
proudly these emblems of her plighted
word.
After the arrival of the enemy, their |
soldiery passed constantly back and forth |
through the house in search of hidden
treasure, but no one for long time sus
pected the nature of the impromptu bed.
l. fol